XJ6-Series II; Steering wheel return / Oil pressure

[Jan Wikström <104707.3644@CompuServe.COM>]

Message text written by Baard Thesvik:
>his steering wheel is reluctant to return after having made a turn; he has
to force it back, that it doesn't "spin" back into the straight foreward
position<

This steering should normally have good self-centering. Could be a weak or
broken torsion bar or worn internal splines in the control valve head. If
the wheel shows a lot of backlash when the engine is off, I'd say that is
likely. The control valve unit (sorry, can't remember the pukka
terminology) is not repairable and must be replaced as a unit.

Another possibility is excessive fluid pressure. This can be caused by a
blocked strainer in the check/relief valve assembly on the sliding spool
behind the delivery fitting. You can unscrew the fitting from the pump
after disconnecting the high-pressure pipe without taking the pump out of
the car (I think from memory it's a 3/4in socket); the spool is pushed out
by the spring behind it. The strainer is inside the head of what looks like
a normal nut on the inner end of the spool. Dismantle and clean with great
care; there are a ball and spring inside.

>He also had a theory that changing the caster by removing shims might
help<

Not unless the caster is wildly out. It should be 3.5 deg on a fuel
injected S2.

>His oil pressure gauge gives a high reading when cold, but sinks low as
the engine warms up.<

This is perfectly normal for a worn engine. My XJ12C shows 60 psi when
cold, drops to 5psi on hot idle and needs about 2,000 rpm to hit 60 psi
when hot.

- jan

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